Jacki, WalMart, and Reuters. LOL!

[wx247]

DAVENPORT, Iowa (Reuters) - There was no mention of illegal immigrant workers or sex discrimination claims as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) opened a massive new supercenter here, one of 39 stores it opened nationwide in a single day.

Store manager Jeff Teague handed out giant-sized checks to area charities. A local pastor said a prayer. A Wal-Mart employee sang the national anthem, and a high school band belted out "Hang On Sloopy" at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday that drew hundreds of shoppers.

Even as Wal-Mart faces intense scrutiny over its labor practices -- highlighted by a government raid on its headquarters and 61 stores last week in search of illegal workers -- the world's biggest company is going about the business of getting even bigger.

The 207,000 square foot Davenport supercenter -- the size of about four football fields -- offers a full line of groceries alongside Wal-Mart's usual array of general merchandise ranging from diapers to tropical fish. This is the second Wal-Mart in town.

Of the 39 stores that Wal-Mart opened on Wednesday -- the biggest one-day total in at least two years -- 29 were supercenters. The rest were smaller discount stores, including three in California, where Wal-Mart faces a sex discrimination lawsuit that could become the biggest such case ever.

Wal-Mart is defending dozens of lawsuits alleging discrimination, wage-and-hour violations and other labor issues. The retailer denies that it mistreats its workers.

The lawsuits do not seem to have deterred job-seekers in a soft labor market. Teague, manager of the Davenport store, said he received more than 5,000 applications for about 460 jobs. At the Valley Stream, New York, store, 15,000 people applied for 300 jobs, manager Bobby Balder said.

[StormCrazyIowan]

LOL yep, that's MY WalMart!!! Jeff is a cool guy, a good manager becuase I'm not afraid to talk to him! And the band that played the song opening morning was from the high school I attended, Davenport West High school.

[wx247]

I think the fact that you say MY Walmart says a lot about how you feel about it.

[Josephine96]

LOL MY wal mart is pretty close to here.. My personal favorite is about 15-20 minutes away from me lol. But there are 2 much closer lol

[StormCrazyIowan]

LMAO, we have a WalMart cheer- just ask MS Coast about it, Kami knows!! Anywho, part of it is that we say "It's my WalMart!" So now it's just a habit, truth be told, I've seen more of the inside of that darn store than I have my own house lately!! Just finished our two week schedule with 105 hours!! Most I have ever worked in a two week period! Can't wait for the paycheck!

[Josephine96]

damn Jacki.. that's gotta be 1 hell of a paycheck you got coming. I actually wouldn't mind having a job at a Wal Mart so maybe I'll go apply next time I'm at my local wal mart.

[StormCrazyIowan]

Well, don't listen to the hype, WalMart is a good place to work for, at least here! You could always move to Iowa and come work at #5115 with me!! LMAO.....I bet thats a big no! (Can't see anyone in their right mind coming to live in IOWA!)

[Josephine96]

Hey Jacki.. The scary part is.. I've been accepted to a school or 2 in Iowa so I may come up there anyway lol..

I like Wal Mart.. I just downloaded an application after the Wal Mart website.. Maybe later I'll fill it out and then turn it in lol

[StormCrazyIowan]

LMAO!!! Now that is just plain freaky! What school?

[Josephine96]

Probably either U of Iowa or Iowa State Go Cyclones or Hawkeyes

[StormCrazyIowan]

That's cool! U of Iowa is about 45 minutes away from here, Iowa State is on the other side of the state, I haven't seen much of it.